Abba Zeno, the disciple of the blessed Silvanus, said, “Do not live in a famous place. Do not settle with a person who has a great name, and never lay a foundation to build yourself a cell.”
They said of Abba Zeno that from the beginning he did not want to receive anything from anyone. Those who brought him things went away distressed because he would not accept them. Others came wanting to receive something from a great elder, and he had nothing to give them, so they too went away distressed. The elder said, “What shall I do, since those who bring things are distressed and those who want to receive something are distressed? This seems better: if someone brings something, I will accept it, and if someone asks, I will give to him.” He did this and was at peace, and he satisfied everyone.
An Egyptian brother visited Abba Zeno in Syria and accused himself before the elder concerning his thoughts. Zeno marveled and said, “The Egyptians hide the virtues they have and continually accuse themselves of faults they do not have. But the Syrians and Greeks claim to have virtues they do not have and hide the faults they do have.”
Some brothers came to Abba Zeno and asked him, “What does this saying in the book of Job mean: ‘Heaven is not pure before Him’?” The elder said, “The brothers have passed over their own sins and inquire about heaven. This is the interpretation of the saying: God alone is pure; therefore it says, ‘Heaven is not pure before Him.’”
When Abba Zeno was in Scetis, he left his cell at night as though going toward the marsh. He lost his way and spent three days and three nights walking. Exhausted, he collapsed and was close to death. Then a little child stood before him with bread and a jar of water and said, “Get up and eat.” Zeno rose and prayed, thinking it was an apparition. The child said, “You did well.” Zeno prayed again a second and a third time, and again the child said, “You did well.” Then the elder rose, took the food, and ate. Afterward the child said to him, “As far as you have walked, that is how far you are from your cell. But get up and follow me.” Immediately he found himself at his cell. The elder said to him, “Come in and pray for us.” When the elder entered, the child disappeared.
Another time, Abba Zeno was walking in Palestine. Growing tired, he sat down near a cucumber patch to eat. His thought said to him, “Take one little cucumber for yourself and eat it. What is it, after all?” He answered his thought, “Thieves go to punishment. Test yourself from here, then, and see whether you can bear the punishment.” He rose and stood in the burning heat for five days. When he had scorched himself, he said, “You cannot bear the punishment.” Then he said to his thought, “If you cannot bear it, do not steal it and eat it.”
Abba Zeno said, “Whoever wants God to hear his prayer quickly, when he rises and stretches out his hands toward God, before everything—even before his own soul—let him pray from his heart for his enemies. Through this deed, whatever he asks of God, He will hear him.”
They said that there was a man in a village who fasted so much that he came to be called “the Faster.” When Abba Zeno heard about him, he sent for him, and the man came gladly. After they prayed, they sat down. The elder began to work in silence. Since the Faster found no opportunity to speak with him, he began to be troubled by acedia. He said to the elder, “Pray for me, Abba, because I want to leave.” The elder said, “Why?” He answered, “Because my heart feels as though it is burning, and I do not know what is wrong with it. When I was in the village, I fasted until evening, and this never happened to me.” The elder said, “In the village you were feeding yourself through your ears. But go, and from now on eat at the ninth hour, and whatever you do, do it in secret.” When he began to do this, he found it difficult to wait until the ninth hour, and those who knew him said, “The Faster has become possessed.” He went and told the elder everything. The elder said to him, “This is the way according to God.”